Stability, Practicality, and Chaos
by Valandra
Summary: Duo's injured on a mission and its up the others to make him understand he's not a burden.


Stability, Practicality, and Chaos 

  


By Valandra 

A/N: Well, this is a thank you type gift to Wu Fei & Duo ML, of whom I recently became a member. I thought about doing something as a thank you, and this story's idea came to me. I hope you all enjoy. My favorite pairing is (contrary to the impression I've probably given) 1x5x2, or some combination of this. So I guess that makes this a get-together story, in that sense. 

Warnings: TWT, yaoi, blood, a small hint of attempted angst? (come on, cut me some slack, I tried). Umm…anything else Zorra? 

[Warning readers: Val gives details but not explanations as to how Dou was hurt in this, cuz its not the focus of the story. So if you are unsatisfied and find this to be some sort of lose end, then we challenge you to enter our contest! See the next chapter for details. Back to you Val!] 

Hosted at:   
Fanfiction.net   
Realm_of_the_Mystics   
WufeiDuo.net 

^_^ My very first One-shot! I'm so proud of myself; I've actually completed something. 

* * *

Wu Fei ran his fingers over Duo's back, feeling around the nine inch incision for lumps and signs of infection. They had just finished cleaning it; Duo remained unconscious through it all. A hitch in breathing was his only response to Wu Fei's probe. 

"How did this happen? I didn't even know he had a mission." Heero, sitting at Duo's other side one the bed, whispered. 

Wu Fei looked up at this koi's eyes, not surprised at the turmoil and pain he saw reflected there. He was sure similar could be seen in his own eyes, just as he felt them. "None of us did." Wu Fei swallowed hard, turning his eyes back to Duo's back. "I can understand the need for secrecy before and during the mission, not that I like it; but it would be nice to know after the fact, in case something like this happens." 

"We wouldn't have even known he was injured if he hadn't collapsed." Heero re-played everything in his mind, looking for anything that might have hinted at Duo's injuries before he collapsed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Trowa, Quatre, Wu Fei, and Heero were all in the living room of their newest safe house. The missions were becoming fewer and far between, but more complicated; making the option of all five pilots staying in the same location plausible and safe. The five had been in this safe house for near two mission free weeks now, and had started to let themselves relax and enjoy themselves. 

The four were sitting on the carpet, forming a sort of circle in the center of the room, snacking on the fruit and sandwiches in front of them and talking occasionally. Basically just spending time together and enjoying each others company. For the first few hours anyway. Shortly after noon, though the atmosphere and activities didn't change, the circle slowly dissolved as the two couples paired off. Quatre was laying on his stomach, with Trowa sitting Indian style next to him. Heero was sitting upright across from the two, his left leg bent and foot tucked under his right knee; Wu Fei was laying on his back on Heero's bent leg, his head on Heero's lap. 

Duo had gone to his room after lunch the other day, claiming to want a nap; he'd been showing signs of exhaustion all morning. A result of staying up all night, no doubt. The others hadn't seen him since. Wu Fei had gone to check on him this morning, but got no response. 

Wu Fei frowned, remembering how Duo had remained silent even after he'd called out to him. _*Sigh* If he wants to avoid us, I can't really do anything about it. Still doesn't make it hurt any less._

Heero felt Wu Fei tense, and looked down to see him frowning. "Wu Fei?" he said gently. "What's wrong?" 

Wu Fei's thoughts froze at being caught; he realized he also had Quatre and Trowa's attention on him too. He knew Heero shared his feelings; they'd spoken about Duo off and on since they were secure in their own relationship, but they'd not seriously thought on doing anything about it until this past week. Spending near two solid weeks in the same house as the braided boy was more than enough to push the two into action. They'd hopped to confront him today, since he seemed so exhausted the other day. _Today's such a beautiful day; we'd thought to invite on a picnic; get him outside and see how relaxed he'd get if it was just the three of us. Confront him, explain how we feel for him…and pray he'd listen, even return them…._

Wu Fei tried to smile up at him, but it was more mournful than reassuring. "Just thinking." 

Heero raised an eyebrow in question. 

"About today…and Duo…." He trailed off, and Heero squeezed his shoulder gently, reassuringly. 

Heero felt a pang in his chest, knowing that Duo's actions this morning had hurt Wu Fei; yet he couldn't get very angry at Duo without feeling a similar pain. "We'll talk to him when it's the right time. If Duo wants to act like a childish baka, then that's his own decision. He's the one that stayed up late, and over slept . You were trying to do him a favor; don't let his insensitivity affect you so." Even as he said this, the pain in his chest throbbed; but his current concern was Wu Fei's comfort. 

Quatre looked up at Trowa when he placed a hand on his shoulder, but the two remained silent during the discussion. Quatre could feel the two pilot's pain, but didn't know what to do about it. It was between Heero, Wu Fei, and Duo; and though Quatre was more than willing to help out, he wasn't about to jump into the middle of it. A shuffling sound from the hall right outside the living room's entrance drew their attention. Quatre smiled in surprise, "Duo, you're up!" 

Wu Fei and Heero looked up at this, and followed the blonde's gaze to the hallway. Duo was standing in the entrance, looking ready to lean against the inside wall of it. He had to of just woken up, his hair was tousled and he looked bedraggled and half out of it, like he'd not fully awakened yet. _Kawaii!_ they both thought at the image Duo presented. 

Duo focused on the two Asians just before Wu Fei stood up and moved towards him. Wu Fei caught Heero's eyes before getting up to let him know that now was the time talk. He gave Duo a small smile as he approached him, not registering that Duo hadn't responded to Quatre's greeting. 

"Duo, Hero and I want to talk with you; we can go to the kitchen so you can get some food, if you like." 

Dou just turned enough to give the room a profile of his left side. His eyes however, did not move; they stayed locked on Wu Fei, who stopped at arms reach from Duo. Heero was slowly making his way towards them. Quatre had a knowing smirk on his lips, and Trowa's eyes held a just noticeable gleam to them. Duo took note of all this before he started walking. He didn't get far. 

He swayed, off balance by his first step. Wu Fei, though surprised, was able to get his right arm around Duo's back before he could fall; he moved in front of Duo once he was certain Duo's weight was supported on said arm. "Duo! Are you ok?" he asked, concerned. 

Duo cringed and clenched his eyes shut, "Don't…!" His voice was hoarse; his muscles tensed as he tried to jerk out of Wu Fei's hold. Wu Fei tightened his grip, unwilling to let Duo go; he wouldn't be able to keep his balance. "Let go of me." 

"Duo, what…?" Duo never had a problem with casual tough before. In fact, he was usually the one to initiate it. 

"I said let go!" Duo's voice, still hoarse, was getting quieter and sounding more stressed with each use. Nevertheless, it was still sharp; sharper than any of the four boy's had ever heard from him. 

Stung, Wu Fei let go quickly, jerking back as he did so and bumped into Heero. Without Wu Fei's support, Duo did indeed collapse. Heero glared at the fallen boy. Duo had landed face first on the tiled floor. "Baka! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Heero didn't say anything else; he narrowed his eyes; looking hard at Duo's back. He was in his black preacher garb, yet Heero saw the light reflecting off Duo's shirt. Heero's breath left him in a rush as he realized most of it's back was darker than the sleeves. "Shimatta!" He turned Wu Fei's arm so he could see the inside of it before releasing his grip and kneeling beside Duo. 

"Heero?" Wu Fei questioned, confused as to why Heero had pulled out his pocket knife. He looked at his own arm; understanding shown in his eyes at what he saw. His arm was tinted crimson; the inside of his arm, where Duo's back had been pressed. Wu Fei looked up as Heero finished cutting Duo's shirts off. "Quatre, go get the first aid-kit; Trowa, some damp cloths. Heero, carry him." Wu Fei went ahead of Heero as the others went to do their part; they might not know what was wrong, but with their experience, they could well imagine. 

Wu Fei opened the door to his and Heero's bedroom; it happened to be the closest room. Trowa entered just as Heero got Duo situated on his stomach. He'd seen the discarded material in the hall, yet his eyes reflected his surprise at the size of the incision on Duo's back. "Here's the cloths. Quatre will be here soon; the kit's in the laundry room closet. Will you need anything else?" 

Wu Fei, busy cleaning the wound, heard everything said, but ignored it. He focused his attention on his cleaning and Duo; filtering out everything that was not vital to that. Heero shook his head, turning his attention from his two loves (though one didn't know it) to Trowa, "I don't think so, once we get the kit. Wu Fei knows what he's doing. I'll let you both know Duo's condition once he's done." He added as an after thought as Quatre came in and stood beside Trowa. He passed the kit, really an ice cooler that one would use for drinks on the beach or something, to Heero; he nodded his acknowledgment, took Trowa's hand and left the room, dragging Trowa the first few steps. Trowa, surprised, forgot to close the door as he was pulled out of it. 

Heero smirked slightly at Quatre's antics. He cast a glance at Wu Fei, leaning over the side of the bed and Duo, at the very edge of the bed, before moving to close the door. Once closed, he leaned against it resting for a moment. Eyes closed, Heero tried to put his thoughts in order. Not an easy task, considering his lover was busy cleaning and fixing up the boy…young man…_What would one call us…?_ that they both loved, whom had lost an undeterminable amount of blood. _How did this happen?_ How indeed. Determination firmed up his thoughts, and Heero looked to Wu Fei's back. He thought to ask if there was anything he needed, but knew he'd just be ignored like Trowa was. _He'll make any needs known when they appear._

With that in mind, Heero moved across the room to his desk, and his laptop. _He obviously had a mission, there's no other way he'd have gotten that injury. But I thought we weren't doing any more solo missions; Oz has been getting sharper lately, making it to damn dangerous to go on one without possible backup._ With grim determination, he set to work suffering the files for the information that would clear up and explain this mess. _He was up all night two nights ago. Going over mission parameters and preparing for it? That would explain why he was so tired, why he went to bed early. That also means that he wasn't here this morning when Wu Fei went to check on him. _

He may be a baka at times, but if Duo didn't say anything about this mission, it was either something simple, which it obviously wasn't otherwise he'd have not been hurt; or he was under orders to keep it quiet. That thought didn't ease his discomfort or anger at all. 

_I do wonder, was he even going to tell us after he got back? Was he going to ask for help in stitching that up? There's no way he could do it himself. But he just started walking off after Wu Fei told him we wanted to talk with him; if he was going to tell us, he would have, wouldn't he? He didn't get far. I wonder where he going? To the kitchen, or some other place, away from us? More questions, and no answers._

Heero growled low in his throat; none of his efforts to hack into Duo's laptop and files were working. He decided on a different path, though it would take more effort. _Or not; Duo's laptop is sealed as tight, if not more, as mine!_ He hacked into Oz's main computer information stream, and tracked through the reports to find where Duo had struck. He'd then trace Duo's orders with that. 

~~~~~~~~~~End Flashback~~~~~~~~~ 

He'd not been able to find anything. Oh, he'd been able to piece together Duo's mission from Oz reports, but that was it. It had _not_ been a one person job. The fact that Duo survived was a grand testimony to his skills. Heero sighed. But it was Duo's area of expertise, much more so then any of the others, but that was no reason to not have backup. Whatever the mission parameters were, the Oz reports were on missing information; and an underground base/training facility had been destroyed. The information's location appeared to have come from an even tighter location than the facility; a type of Special Ops., and possibly a major reason for Oz's overall improvement. 

"When will he wake up?" Heero asked, looking up from Duo's face, which was turned in his direction, to Wu Fei's eyes. He could see Wu Fei's exhaustion and pain there, as well as a hint of relief. _He's realized Duo's injury is why he didn't want to be touched, so he's not letting Duo's reaction hurt anymore. Good._

"A few hours at the earliest. I still don't know how much blood he lost. He managed to make it back, and was standing there, undoubtedly to catch his balance and rest, all under his own power." Wu Fei shook his head. "It wasn't enough to be life threatening, otherwise more of his shirts and pants would have been soaked. I suspect that the two shirts he was wearing acted as an artificial scab once they'd soaked as much blood as they did. He should wake up sometime tomorrow." 

Heero nodded, "I'll go make us some dinner. Do you want anything particular?" 

"Whatever is fine." Wu Fei replied, shaking his head. 

Heero just nodded again. He silently made his way out the door and to the kitchen. Wu Fei watched him go before turning his attention back to Duo. He ran his fingers over the frayed braid; he thought about re-braiding it, but knew that, regardless of intentions, Duo wouldn't appreciate it. That was one thing he did know about the self-proclaimed Shi no Kami; one of the very few things he knew, he realized tiredly. He would have said something on the matter to Heero, but Wu Fei was fast asleep before he returned. 

Heero entered the room, two soup bowls and spoons on a tray. He set the tray down on the desk; he'd put his laptop away after Wu Fei told him to shut up; that his continuous frustrated growls were distracting. Turning around, Heero's voice stuck in his throat at the site on the bed. Once he was able to lift his jaw back into place, he smiled softly and admired the view. 

Duo, still on his stomach, was in the center of the bed; they'd moved him there once Wu Fei was done with his back. They'd not replaced his shirt, and had removed his pants to check his legs for injuries as well, leaving him in a simple pair of black cotton boxers. His legs were cut up, a few looked to be from near misses by bullets, the rest could be anything. There were also plenty of bruises, one going down to the bone on his left knee cap. Wu Fei had been sitting on Duo's left side before he fell asleep. Now, he'd slipped down the bed a bit once he'd fallen asleep, and was leaning towards his left, away from Duo. Duo, he realized, had turned his head in his sleep, facing Wu Fei's hunched back. _Almost like he wants to move over and curl against Wu Fei…._

Walking over to the other side of the bed, he removed his green muscle shirt and socks before sitting on the bed. He reached down to the end of the bed to pull the blanket up over all three of them; making certain it covered both the other boys before laying down himself. 

**** 

Mid-afternoon the next day found Heero once again on his laptop. And like before, getting nowhere. Wu Fei had just told him to shut up again, this time warning that his growling might disturb Duo. Heero was about to respond when they heard the sheets rustle. Looking over at Duo, they could see he was still asleep, but their voices were disturbing him. 

Wu Fei raised an eyebrow at his lover and whispered, "Told ya so." He got a glare for a response. Wu Fei looked at the clock then back at Heero. "Why don't you go make some lunch and try to calm down." 

Heero, who had his eyes closed and was taking deep, calming breaths, nodded and left. Casting one last glance at Duo's sleeping form, Wu Fei went to the bathroom that was connected to the bedroom. Going about his business, preparing for a quick shower, Wu Fei remembered waking up that morning. 

~~~~ 

He was on his side, his back facing the rest of the bed, a pillow tucked under his head with both arms wrapped around it, the blanket laying at his hips…and a single arm thrown over his side, the hand's palm resting on his stomach. His shirt had ridden up during the night, so it was flesh to flesh. 

He pressed back, searching for the warmth of the arm's owner, and wondering why he was so far back. He eventually found the body, but was confused by the realization that he was on his stomach. _Heero doesn't sleep on his stomach_, he thought, trying to make sense of it without waking up further. Still tired, he mentally shrugged and rolled over under the arm, so as to not knock it off. He curled up against the warm body, making it turn towards him slightly. Nuzzling the neck he was pressed against, he fell back to sleep, head tucked under a chin. 

The flash and click of a camera woke him completely scant moments later. He lifted his head up and blinked a few times at the figure at the end of the bed, trying to get the sleep out of his eyes so they'd focus. He frowned once they did. "Heero…?" His face scrunched in confusion, looking to see who exactly his bed partner was. 

_Duo?!_ A flash of what they must look like, and Wu Fei flushed red. _'Least I know why Heero's grinning so much. But why…._ As he thought about it, yesterday's events came back to him. Even knowing that Duo wasn't aware of their position, Wu Fei was loath to move. No matter how much he loved Heero, _And I_ do_, but I can't list how many times I've dreamt of this. And I know the same is true for Heero._ Another reason Heero's smile was reassuring; he wasn't hurt, rather quite happy by the event. 

~~~~ 

Rinsing the lathered soap from his body, Wu Fei shook his head, clearing his thoughts but unable to kill the pleased little smile on his lips. After rinsing the conditioner (coconut scented) from his hair, he turned the water off and towel dried hair first then body. 

He had just slipped on a baggy pair of gray drawstring sweatpants when he heard someone moving around in the bedroom. _Heero must be back with lunch_, he thought as he made his way to the door, slipping the towel over his shoulders and under his hair, to keep the wetness off his back. 

What he found on the other side of the door was decidedly _not_ what he'd been expecting. He'd expected Heero setting another tray of food, sandwiches or something, on the desk. Not Duo leaning against the desk, breathing hard and sweating; his arms were shaking, though not too obviously. 

"Duo! What are you doing out of bed? You're going to make yourself collapse again!" Wu Fei didn't let his shock freeze him. He moved immediately to Duo's side, trying to figure out the best way to get him back into the bed without hurting Duo in the process. 

"What does it look like? Going to my own room. Didn't think you'd be done so soon." Duo's voice was quiet, and still hoarse. He hasn't had anything to drink since he gotten back. 

Wu Fei stopped at Duo's side, ready to help if he got unsteady, but didn't make any motion to move him back to the bed. "How long have you been awake?" Wu Fei asked, a suspicion forming in his mind. 

Still avoiding Wu Fei's eyes, "Since Heero left." 

"Why?" 

"Didn't want to cause you two even more inconvenience," Duo responded as the bedroom door opened and Heero entered, tray in hand. He almost dropped it at seeing Duo out of bed; he frowned, realizing that the words he'd heard while opening the door were from Duo. 

Duo's eyes flicked in Heero's direction, though neither Asians could catch his eyes. "But I suppose I'm just being insensitive again, trying to get out of your way while you're not here…." He trailed off, trying to steady his labored breathing. The two did catch him flicking is eyes in Heero's direction this time. 

Breath caught in both boys' throats as they realized Duo'd heard them yesterday; realized they didn't know how long he'd been in that hall before Quatre heard him. _If he was there without us knowing it_, Heero realized, _then he must have been leaving when Quatre saw him; he had no intention of saying anything. …Was it because of what I said?_ He thought about what it must have sounded like to Duo's ears, and was mildly horrified; not that he let it show. He kept his gaze steady and clear; emotionless. 

Duo snorted as he straitened himself up, no longer leaning on the desk for support; mindful to keep away from any attempts of help from Wu Fei. "The lot of you are a bunch of hypocrites," he quietly mumbled as he made his way to the door; still keeping his gaze away from the other two's eyes. Heero wasn't in front of it, but Duo would have to pass right in front of him to get to it. 

"What's that suppose to mean?" Wu Fei asked, his hurt making it come out sharper than he'd meant it to. 

At arms reach from the door, Duo turned his head around to look at Wu Fei straight in the eye. "Exactly what it says, Chang. Hypocrites, nisemono, fakes, false; you say one thing and do another." 

Whatever Wu Fei had planned to say, died in his throat at the suffering he saw in Duo's eyes. Eyes that willed him to remember, to remember before he and Heero had gotten together, when he truly believed he was alone; that he had no one to turn to, to talk to or confide in. Before he could even get to his lowest, Duo somehow always managed to be there; finding, or making, a way for Wu Fei to release what was on his mind. Usually through his teasing, when it wasn't too serious…or before it could get there. Sometimes he'd beat it out of him, in a sparing match; they'd never seriously hurt each other, more like wear each other out. Then there were the occasions that had brought him to tears; Duo somehow managed to be there every time, before he broke down. Offering his shoulder; a hiding place, comfort, solid ground and an anchor to return to. He'd been there after L5 _…Though I have yet to find out how…._ Duo knew about Merien, his childhood, everything. He was there when Wu Fei had dearly needed somebody to listen. 

_Telling him of my childhood, at the boarding school…that's when I found out how much Duo's braid meant to him. "A token of my own childhood." He'd said quietly, as he gripped his braid. I'd thought it just a casual comment, something to relate with, and didn't press him on the matter. Afterwards, when I thought about it, I figured if he had wanted to talk about it, he would have said more than just that. …But what if he wouldn't? He didn't mind listening to me…did he think doing so himself would be an "inconvenience"?_ Wu Fei remembered how Duo had used that same word earlier, a sinking feeling forming in his stomach. 

_How many times did he drop that kind of hint? My gosh, what Heero said earlier…. Has Duo done the same, helped the others the same way too? …It wouldn't surprise me._

Duo could see Wu Fei's emotions, his revelations, through his eyes. He was a little surprised to see a sense of horror there, but was too tired and too _hurt_ to give a damn. All that mattered was getting out of there, away from the pain; to his own room, where he could suffer in silence, as he always has. 

Heero's sudden grip on his left arm, just below the elbow, prevented him from grabbing the door knob. "Duo, I…." 

Duo quickly turned his gaze from the door to Heero, a glare forming in between. "How many times Heero? How many times did I wake you up…?" His voice, a growl low enough for just Heero and himself to hear, trailed off, but his eyes finished for him. 

_…from the nightmares._ Heero shuddered in remembrance. _Comforted me; listened while I described them; held me while I cried, unable to get the images from my mind; soothed me back to sleep, and stayed awake yourself to make certain the nightmares stayed away. Distracting me when I started to think to much on any of them. You must know each of them by heart by now…._

The realization of how much what he had said must have hurt Duo, was compounded by his next thought. _How many nightmares have you had, Duo? You never woke me up with any, never said anything about them. But your eyes would always shine with understanding; you knew exactly, or very close to, what I was feeling, what I was going through. Yet you never said anything. Why? You never minded taking my burden onto yourself, did you think I wouldn't do the same for you? _

But why would he call all four of us hypocrites…? the two thought in unison. Duo read the question in Heero's eyes while trying to make himself not care about what all he had seen there before it. "Not a one of you refuted it; seemed more amused than anything by it." He answered, his quietness taking on a subdued tone. "Let go Yuy," he said just as quietly, taking his eyes away from Heero's gaze. 

Not that it mattered, as Heero lowered his head at the same time. "I had no right to say that, nor any place to talk." His voice was quiet, yet full of emotion. Duo could no longer ignore the pain and regret he'd seen in Heero's eyes; not when it was so plainly lacing his voice. 

Duo's eyes slipped closed, still angled towards the ground. His emotions fighting with his exhaustion, trying to decide what to do now. He jumped a little when he felt a hand land on his right shoulder; his head jerked up and eyes locked onto Wu Fei's without his permission. Again, Wu Fei's pain and remorse were as obvious in his voice as in his eyes. 

"Nor did I have any place to accept his words as such. It was unjust, and an insult to the friendship you've given me, given all of us. An unworthy, and untrue, statement against your honor and character." Duo was surprised by the sheen of un-spilt tears he could see in Wu Fei's ebony eyes. 

Heero's hand moved from Duo's wrist and up to his left shoulder; he moved so that he was beside Wu Fei, turning Duo so that he was facing of the two of them instead of the door. Heero wasn't as close to tears, but his pain and regret were practically leaking from his own eyes. Even so, his throat was tight; too tight to say anymore. Acting on his emotions, as he had been told to in the past, Heero lightly pulled Duo forward, himself taking a step towards him. He moved his hand from Duo's shoulder, wrapping it around the top of his arm and shoulder, just as Wu Fei did on Duo's other side a split second behind Heero. A makeshift hug, both careful to keep their arms high enough to avoid the incision on Duo's back. 

Eyes closed, Duo slowly accepted their embrace, bringing his own arms up slowly to return it. He smiled slightly, and opened his eyes; the two could read his acknowledgment and forgiveness of their apologies there. Wu Fei, remembering vaguely his position this morning, rested his head on Duo's shoulder, head turned into the junction of neck and shoulder. Heero, to Duo's amusement, did the same thing (in sync with Wu Fei, no less); a habit he'd formed when Duo would hold him after a nightmare; he'd found it comforting, and enjoyed the feeling it gave him. 

"Wo ai ne, Duo." "Ashiteru Duo." Said quietly (in unison no less), neither willing to break the peaceful moment; nor were either aware they'd said such out-loud until they heard Duo's quick intake of breath, and felt him stiffen a bit. Both worried, and neither willing to move, they waited for Duo's reaction, his decision. 

Duo gave a heavy sigh, his body sagging in their arms, a slight tremor going through it. The two instinctively tightened their grip on him to keep him steady, their anxiety growing, as well as their concern. "The two of you are determined to kill me over in one sitting, aren't you," his fatigue made his voice seem even quieter. "You're both serious; I know you hadn't meant for it to be said." He felt the two nod, knew they were getting more anxious for his answer; whether or not he felt the same, or differently for them now. 

"Wish I'd known sooner." He sounded truly mournful; neither boy could determine what he meant by it though. Both refused to get their hopes up for anything other then a straight answer. "I'd have rigged the cellar doors to fall while I was still down there, instead of after I left for town." It was the Asians' turn to stiffen this time. 

Though they didn't release their hold on Duo, least he try to escape, they both brought their heads up rather quickly. "Wha…!" Wu Fei; "You…!" Heero. Both cut off at the gentle smile, so different than any they had ever seen, on Duo's face; and the light sheen of crystal tears streaming from his eyes. They wouldn't have noticed them, if the light wasn't reflecting from them; it also made his amethyst eyes so much brighter…or maybe that was just the emotions there. 

"For a long time…that's why…. You both seemed to get along so much better, and the looks," Duo paused, never taking his eyes from the two in front of him. "Yes, I caught those, the ones you'd send when the other wasn't looking. Never seemed to notice my attention." All possible meanings held there were not lost on the two listeners. "Couldn't think of anything else, other than tying ya'll up in a closet. Quatre was…Trowa was helping him…they both were too busy with their own, new relationship…didn't want to bother them…. 

"I love you both, so much…." So gentle, so quiet, Wu Fei and Heero almost believed they'd imagined it. But they could see the same in Duo's eyes, and knew they hadn't. At least, they could see if before his eyes slipped closed. Duo's body went completely slack in their arms, startling both youths. They managed to keep him from collapsing on the floor this time, though Duo's head did fall forward onto their joined shoulders. 

Wu Fei let out a small, quiet laugh, relief as clear as his amusement. He looked over to Heero, "I think we've exhausted him." 

Smiling slightly, Heero nodded towards the bed. "Let's get him comfortable." His smile took on a teasing touch, "I'm sure he'd love to wake up to you curled up against him…." He trailed off, enjoying the embarrassed flush that came over his love's body, both face and chest. 

Wu Fei tried to glare at him over Duo's body, and failed. Wu Fei had his shoulders, and Heero gripped underneath Duo's knees; they laid him on the bed much as before, making certain he was comfortable. 

"Still hungry?" Heero asked, casting a glace at the tray of now cold, solidifying ramen laying on Wu Fei's side of the bed. They'd had to carry Duo around to the other end of the bed to avoid the tray. 

"Not really," as he moved the tray over to the desk; Wu Fei himself suddenly felt very drained, and it showed in his voice. He smiled ruefully at Heero, "That's another meal you've made, canceled in favor of sleep." Walking over to him, Wu Fei embraced Heero before he had a chance to respond. 

"Considering the circumstances, I don't think I mind," he smirked, leaning back enough to catch Wu Fei's lips in a soft, simple, if prolonged, good night kiss. Nothing elaborate, but enough to convey his love, his joy and elation, and feelings of completeness. He felt similar from Wu Fei before they came apart, Wu Fei moving towards his side of the bed. 

Heero, again in just his spandex, and Wu Fei in a pair of silken, amber colored pajamas, slipped into bed, keeping Duo in the center as they had before. This time, Wu Fei didn't wait till he was half asleep before curling up against Duo, though Heero did catch his small blush as he brought the blanket up over the three of them. Heero chuckled lightly before laying down as close to Duo as he could, laying an arm over his waist, knowing he'd not move it in his sleep. 

If either Quatre or Trowa knew they were essentially taking an afternoon nap, they never let on…or teased about it. 

  
Owari. 


End file.
